S. Jaishankar on Sunday raised concerns over recent changes in United States visa and immigration policies during talks with Marco Rubio, stressing that legal mobility and people-to-people ties should not be negatively affected by stricter immigration measures introduced by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Jaishankar made the remarks during a joint media briefing after holding extensive discussions with Rubio in New Delhi. The talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations between India and the United States following a period of strain linked to trade disputes, tariffs, and policy disagreements over the past year.
Highlighting the importance of mobility between the two countries, Jaishankar said that people-to-people connections remain at the heart of the India-US partnership. He noted that he had informed Rubio about the difficulties faced by legitimate Indian travelers and professionals in obtaining visas under the revised immigration framework.
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The concerns come amid growing anxiety in India over changes to US immigration rules, including increased H-1B visa fees and revised green-card processing procedures that reportedly require applicants to complete parts of the process from their home countries. These measures have particularly affected Indian students, technology professionals, and skilled workers, many of whom rely on US work and residency programs.
India and the United States share strong economic, educational, and technological ties, with a large Indian diaspora contributing significantly to sectors such as information technology, healthcare, research, and business in the US. Analysts believe immigration and visa-related issues will continue to remain a key discussion point in bilateral relations as both countries seek to balance domestic policy priorities with long-standing strategic and economic cooperation.
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